COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Irish Make a Run at Bowl Bid : Notre Dame Rallies in Second Half, Beats Boston College, 32-25

For much of the day, Notre Dame was going nowhere. But when it was over, Coach Lou Holtz declared his Irish bowl-bound.

Mark Green scored on a two-yard run with 5:25 left Saturday at South Bend, Ind., and the Irish rallied from a 13-point deficit in the second half to overcome Boston College, 32-25.

“We’re 7-1 and going to a bowl game,” Holtz said. “I don’t know which one, but we’re definitely going.”

Green rushed for a career-high 152 yards, carrying the ball the last 8 plays of the winning drive.

The Irish rushed for 253 yards and 4 touchdowns in the second half, abandoning their passing game when they replaced freshman quarterback Kent Graham with Tony Rice, who specializes in the option.

“We figured that in the second half we were going to run at them and grind it out,” Green said.

Notre Dame also got a career-high 294 all-purpose yards in 16 plays from Tim Brown.

“I felt the running game gave us the best chance to win,” Holtz said. “We tried to throw early but made too many errors. We have to do what we have to do to win, and that means running the ball.”

Boston College (5-5) led, 17-6, at halftime, but Notre Dame came out running after the second-half kickoff and cut it to 17-12 on a 33-yard run by Green.

The Eagles increased the lead to 25-12 when Mike Power hit Darren Flutie on a 31-yard pass play with 10:02 left in the third quarter, then ran for a two-point conversion.

But Eagle running back Jim Bell fumbled the ball to Irish linebacker Darrell Gordon on Boston College’s next possession, and Notre Dame moved 54 yards in 3 plays, with fullback Anthony Johnson going the final yard for a touchdown.

“That was the key play of the game,” Boston College Coach Jack Bicknell said of Bell’s fumble. “We didn’t get much rest after that. They really did hammer us after that.”

Notre Dame sacked Power on a third-down play, then rushed 69 yards in 13 plays, capped by Braxston Banks’ 1-yard score to tie the game, 25-25, with 12:40 left.

The Irish sacked Power once more on third down before the drive that led to Green’s go-ahead touchdown, and Power was sacked again on a third down, ending Boston College’s last scoring threat.

“It was a very frustrating game from our standpoint,” Bicknell said. “Our kids played hard. I was very happy with them. Notre Dame just came on strong at the end.”

Boston College took its 17-6 halftime lead on Power’s 3-yard pass to Kyle Hudgins, Bell’s 11-yard run and Brian Lowe’s 21-yard field goal.

Notre Dame’s Ted Gradel kicked two 21-yard field goals.